Lenovo’s new kid’s laptop has a folding, Yoga-like screen (and there’s a Chrome OS version too)
Here’s how you unveil a product and make sure no one hears about it: bury the news in a press release the same day you announce you’re buying an iconic tech company for $3 billion. That’s right: everyone was so busy pontificating on whether Lenovo would ruin Motorola, that barely anyone noticed the company had also announced a kid’s laptop. Well, we just had a chance to get hands-on with the new ThinkPad 11e ahead of its release, and while we might not normally care about kiddie PCs anyway, a few things stick out here. First off, although this is actually a collection of four different laptops, with two running Windows and two based on Chrome OS. Kind of a peculiar strategy when you think about it: how often do we get that kind of choice on the same machine? Secondly, Lenovo’s offering two form factors: a traditional non-touch notebook, and another with a touchscreen that folds back into a quasi-tablet mode. Yep, it’s basically a wee little Yoga, except it bends back 300 degrees, not 360. And, you know, it potentially runs Chrome OS. Now you see why we’re so intrigued, right? You grown-ups probably want one too.
But wait, there’s one other thing you should know, and unfortunately, this is probably where we’re going to lose some of you adults. As crazy as it sounds, this is actually the first ThinkPad that doesn’t have that classic red TrackPoint in the middle of the keyboard. “What kind of sorcery is this?” you ask. Chalk it up to kids having atrocious motor skills. According to a Lenovo rep, the company was getting complaints from schools about kids ripping out those little red dots on the last-gen X131e Chromebook. Which is silly because they apparently feel more comfortable using the touchpad anyway. So, to spare teachers the repair cost, Lenovo nixed the TrackPoint on the new 11e, and also retooled the keyboard so that there’s less space between the keys and their sockets (read: curious little children will now have a harder time wedging crap inside there).
Spec-wise, you’re looking at a quad-core, Celeron-based Bay Trail processor, with a 16GB solid-state drive on the Chromebooks, and a choice of HDDs and SSDs on the Windows model. Look for the Windows machines to arrive later this month, priced at $449 for the regular notebook, and $549 for the Yoga-like one. Meanwhile, the Chromebooks will ship in late May or early June, with the laptop retailing for $349 and the convertible priced at $429.
In France, you can buy a phone contract from a vending machine
French folks will soon be able to pick up a phone plan as easily as a baguette thanks to a network of SIM-vending kiosks arriving in the nation. Operator Free Mobile, well known for its ultra-cheap contracts, will let folks dodge lines by signing up for a contract from a kiosk “in a few minutes.” The machine will then dispense a mini, micro or nano SIM, activated and ready to go into an unlocked phone. Though SIM-vending machines are far from new, it’s one of the first all-inclusive, ready-to-go arrangements from a big carrier that we’ve seen. Users will also be able to change SIM formats, pay bills and do other chores that usually require a bricks-and-mortar visit. There’s no word on exactly when they’ll start rolling out, but it’ll be one less hassle for the French.
Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds, Mobile
Via: FrAndroid
Source: Free Mobile (translated)
Sony’s A7s turns night into (very noisy) day with ISO 409,600
This week, Sony announced the A7s, a full-frame mirrorless camera that captures 4K video. But the 12-megapixel shooter has a few more tricks up its sleeve, including a phenomenally high top sensitivity of ISO 409,600, matching the Hi4 setting of Nikon’s much larger (and pricier) D4S. Sony commissioned DP Den Lennie to shoot a demo reel that highlights the camera’s 4K capabilities, but he had another chance to test out the cam at NAB. This time, Lennie put high-ISO video capture to the test, comparing ISO 6400 through 409,600 in a single clip. The difference is staggering, and while that top sensitivity brings more noise than you’d tolerate for a formal production, it could definitely come in handy for surveillance activities. See for yourself in Lennie’s high-sensitivity demo video, embedded at the bottom of his post.
Via: sonyalpharumors
Source: Den Lennie
Intel’s New Haswell Desktop CPUs Could Arrive in May, Allowing for iMac Updates
Intel may release an update to its desktop Haswell processors in May, according to a report in TechPowerUp that cites Hermitage Akihabara as its source. The report claims Intel will launch its new processors, including its flagship Core i7-4790K, on May 10th in most markets. These next generation Haswell chips will include Intel’s Z97 chipset, which provides support for faster and larger M.2 SATA Express drives.
The new Haswell desktop processors will offer a 100 MHz bump in clock speeds and will be a direct successor to most of the chips currently used in the iMac, with the exception of the low-end 21.5-inch iMac, which uses a special i5-4570R chip enhanced with Intel’s Iris 5200 integrated graphics. Intel may have a compatible replacement processor under development, but leaked information has not yet revealed this corresponding model.
These chips may lay the groundwork for an iMac refresh that Apple is planning in 2014. Apple allegedly has a low-priced iMac model in the works, claims KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in a research note published this week. This less expensive model may be Apple’s first major product launch in 2014 and could boost iMac shipments by up to 30 percent.
Our surveys indicate that Apple’s last iMac model, released at end-2012 with an all-new-design, shipped fewer-than-expected units in the worldwide market. We think the price was set too high and the model failed to make an impact in critical foreign markets like China. We thus think Apple may offer a budget iMac model to push shipments among non-US markets in the face of solid competition from Levono (CN), HP (US) and other rivals.
Though Intel’s desktop processors may be slated for a refresh as early as next month, the timing for the release of the mobile processors used in Apple’s MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are not yet known. The latest information leaked earlier this year by VR-Zone suggests low-end models of Intel’s next-generation Broadwell processor may debut in Q3 2014, with the roadmap for high-end processors compatible with Apple’s MacBook line still up in the air.
Speed bumped versions of the current Haswell chips in the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro may appear at the end of 2014, but that release date still is uncertain at this point and would only provide a small upgrade heading into Broadwell next year. 
T-Mobile Targets Tablets: LTE Models for Price of Wi-Fi, Bonus Free Data Through 2014
T-Mobile US, which has been shaking up the cellular industry in the United States with a series of promotions and policy changes, today made several announcements intended to attract tablet customers to the carrier. There are two key pieces to the initiative:
– LTE tablets for the price of Wi-Fi: Under Apple’s standard pricing, LTE iPad models are priced $130 higher than their Wi-Fi equivalents, but T-Mobile’s limited time promotion will allow customers to purchase an LTE iPad from the carrier at Wi-Fi pricing.
If you’re stuck on Wi-Fi, you can now come to T-Mobile and upgrade to a 4G LTE-enabled model for nothing down and pay no more than you’d pay for the cheaper Wi-Fi-only model, with any postpaid activation on a 1GB or more mobile internet plan with no annual service contract. For example, pay the Wi-Fi price of $499 instead of $630 for the 4G LTE-enabled 16GB iPad Air.
24-month interest-free financing with zero money down is also available for qualified customers.
– Bonus 1GB of free data per month through 2014: T-Mobile already offers a free 200 MB data package for tablet owners, and with today’s announcement, T-Mobile voice customers can receive an additional 1 GB of free data per month through the end of the year.
And, for both new and existing customers, T-Mobile is offering $10 off its most popular internet data plans starting April 12th through the end of 2014. For voice customers, what that means is you can get up to 1GB of 4G LTE data free every month through the end of the year. Combined with the 200 MB of free data you already automatically get every month with T-Mobile’s previously announced “Free Data for Life” offer that comes to nearly 1.2GB of free 4G LTE data every month through the end of 2014. If you love living beyond the Wi-Fi zone – and want to keep enjoying that tablet freedom beyond 2014 – you can get it starting at just $10 a month with voice service next year.
T-Mobile also continues to offer its ETF buyouts, allowing customers stuck on service contracts with another carrier to trade-in their devices and receive credits for the termination fees paid to the other carrier.
Find which apps are using the most permissions with F-Secure App Permissions [App of the Day]
Just about every time you install a new app, there is a page of permissions that you “should” read. If you’re like some of us, you find yourself clicking OK and just skipping through it. But what if you skip over something important? App Permissions is here to help with your application permission needs.
Once the app is installed, you’ll see a few different columns with helpful information like which apps can cost you money, impact battery, and see your personal information. Click on an application, and tap View Permissions. It will show a giant list of permissions that the app requires to be installed on your device. If you’re in a certain category, the permission that put it in its category will be highlighted in pink.
For instance, why would Hangouts be able to read my personal information? It can read contacts, read SMS messages, and store account information, all highlighted in pink. It’s super helpful, especially if you’re unsure of which permission does what.
You can filter applications by the number of permissions, or by category. You can even jump right into the Application Settings page or uninstall right from inside the app.
It offers a simple, clean interface, and should be installed by anyone who is concerned about their security. Check out App Permissions in the Play Store!
The post Find which apps are using the most permissions with F-Secure App Permissions [App of the Day] appeared first on AndroidGuys.
T-Mobile’s Operation Tablet Freedom: 4G LTE tablets for same price as Wi-Fi models (plus free data!)
T-Mobile on Thursday outlined its second Un-carrier move in as many days. Starting on April 12 and running through the rest of the year, customers can add a 4G LTE version of a tablet for the same price as the Wi-Fi-only version. Yeah, for real. Saving customers hundreds of dollars on the front end, it gets even better.
As they, and we, see it, what’s the point of a tablet if you’re stuck to using it in Wi-Fi locations? You’re putting hundreds of dollars into a device, shouldn’t you be able to take it everywhere? Why not enjoy a little bit of free data while you’re at it?
Operation Tablet Freedom:
- Up to 1GB FREE 4G LTE data per month through 2014
- PLUS up to 200 MB FREE monthly 4G LTE data for as long as you own your tablet
- Existing T-Mobile voice plan customers: Get our 1GB plan FREE after a $10 credit
As if that’s enough, T-Mobile is shaving $10 off its most popular internet data plans as well. Indeed, you get up to 1GB of 4G LTE data every month through the end of the year. Toss in the 200MB data that comes with every tablet and that’s a lot of free data.
And, yes, everything else stays in play, including JUMP! and credits for early termination fees.
Note that is this a limited time offer and customers can only add up to 3 tablets per account. Qualifying postpaid voice and mobile Internet service required for free 1GB of data.
The post T-Mobile’s Operation Tablet Freedom: 4G LTE tablets for same price as Wi-Fi models (plus free data!) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Free camera app turns extra 4K pixels into pristine HD video
The incoming Panasonic GH4 has broken new ground with 4K, high-bit-rate video for a mere $1,700, but if you want more than 8-bits? It’s doable, but only if you also budget for a pricey external recorder. Fortunately, hacker Thomas Worth has just released a simple Mac command-line program that’ll let you do a neat trick with GH4 files: convert the 4K, 16-million color video to 10-bit HD with a billion hues. It works using pixel summing, in which the extra 4K pixels are used to fill in missing color information, resulting in true, 10-bit DPX files in HD. As shown after the break, the result is a sharper image, smoother color gradients, easier grading and less loss in detail during image processing. The only downside is much larger 17.7MB images, but the last time we checked, hard drives are pretty cheap.
[Image credit: Nick Driftwood]
Filed under: Cameras
Via: 43 Rumors
Source: EOS HD forums
Inside Samsung’s new London ‘Experience’ store
A few minutes walk from the hub of Oxford Circus, Samsung’s new Experience store in the heart of London is nothing if not underwhelming on approach. Tucked away under scaffolding and hoarding, and flanked by roadworks on one side and Clarks on the other, it wasn’t quite what we expected from what’s presumably regarded as Samsung’s new flagship retail location. Inside, however, the Carphone Warehouse-run store is pretty much how you’d imagine it — a roomy, if not sparse space with a number of white tables for displaying tablets, phones and other hardware. Mid-morning footfall was light, which the few staff on duty likely appreciated. Nevertheless, they appeared to have impressive product knowledge, and yet whatever character they added to the place, it still felt somewhat sterile. At least they have a seating area for disinterested and weary shopping companions, though.
Filed under: Cellphones, Laptops, Tablets, Samsung
Samsung’s Galaxy S5 is trickier to repair than its ancestor
An easily expandable phone isn’t always an easily repairable phone. If you need proof, take a look at iFixit’s newly completed teardown of the Galaxy S5. While Samsung’s latest flagship gets some kudos for its removable battery and microSD slot, it’s considerably tougher to take apart than its GS4 predecessor. You now have to remove the display if you want to replace any of the internals, and the removal process is especially tricky; part replacements are only easy once you’re past this daunting hurdle. There aren’t any surprises under the hood, although it’s worth noting that Samsung is using a Maxim heart rate sensor chip and a Synaptics fingerprint reader. From all indications, the GS5 is still easier to fix than some phones we know — it’s just not the walk in the park that we saw last year.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung
Source: iFixit
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